CBS Sportsline projects six bowls for C-USA this year

[Southern Miss Alum]

NEW ORLEANS BOWL
New Orleans, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sun Belt champ vs. C-USA
NORTH TEXAS vs. SOUTH FLORIDA: The Mean Green stay perfect (5-0) in Sun Belt Conference play with their victory last week and are primed for another berth to the New Orleans Bowl. South Florida finally gets a bowl bid after being passed over last season.

GMAC BOWL
Dec. 18, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
MAC or WAC vs. C-USA No. 2
NORTHERN ILLINOIS vs. TCU: The pretenders of the BCS finally get to showcase their stuff against each other in the GMAC Bowl. With Miami (Ohio) taking control of the MAC, Northern Illinois lands here. TCU is still holding out hope for a possible BCS bid, but a loss to Southern Mississippi in two weeks will force the Horned Frogs here.

FORT WORTH BOWL
Fort Worth, Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Big 12 No. 8 vs. C-USA
NEW MEXICO vs. MEMPHIS: The Fort Worth Bowl is going to have to select a non-Big 12 team because the conference isn't going to have enough eligible teams. New Mexico, which is having a strong season in the MWC, ends up going here as a replacement. Memphis should end the season with at least seven victories, earning it a trip here.

HAWAII BOWL
Honolulu, Dec. 25, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
WAC vs. C-USA
HAWAII vs. LOUISVILLE: The Warriors need to win one of the last four games to earn another trip to the Hawaii Bowl. Any number of teams from Conference USA could earn this trip, but we'll give it to Louisville, which will probably finish third in the conference.

LIBERTY BOWL
Memphis, Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
C-USA No. 1 vs. MWC No. 1
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI vs. UTAH: It will be the Golden Eagles -- not TCU -- who will win Conference USA and earn a trip to the Liberty Bowl. They'll take on the best team in the Mountain West in Utah.

--IN ADDITION--

HOUSTON BOWL
Houston, Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Big 12 No. 5, 6 or 7 vs. SEC
TEXAS TECH vs. HOUSTON: Three or four different Big 12 teams could land here, but the Red Raiders give the Houston Bowl a team from the home state. Houston lands here as a replacement because the SEC will not have enough bowl-eligible teams. This is a no-brainer pick for the Houston Bowl, giving them an intra-state matchup.

[Sam I Am]

I pick USM over TCU too. That would really change things for the BCS. But Tech is not going to play Houston because they would slaughter the Coogs.

[Sam I Am]

I pick USM over TCU too. That would really change things for the BCS. But Tech is not going to play Houston because they would slaughter the Coogs.

[Charleston Pony]

beware the chicken hawks. USM is playing well right now and TCU has to face them on the road in a short week. If TCU runs the table, they deserve to have a shot at one of the big boys in a BCS game. Not that it will happen, but going unbeaten will be one heck of an accomplishment.

[DallasDiehard]

That's true - you can only beat whatever teams are on your schedule. However, with that said, I'd love to see USM bring them back down to earth.

And even more, I'd love to see SMU earn one of those bowl berths in 2005! (I know, got to crawl before you can walk, etc. A fan can dream, right?)